Community keeps memory of Corey Meloche alive and well

Corey Meloche’s spirit was alive, well and celebrated as over 150 people attended a walk-a-thon in her name at Toddy Jones Park, Saturday morning.

Many of the bubbly crowd were friends and family members of the vibrant, young mother who tragically passed away in a snowmobile accident a few years ago.

Scott McRorie and Michelle Pouget-Peters of the Amherstburg Running Club put the 3rd Annual Corey Meloche Walk-a-Thon together. Last year, the event raised over $1,200, which will be put towards a memorial bursary and be given to a General Amherst student, who is pyrsuing a career in early childhood education (ECE). Corey was attending St. Clair College in the ECE program at the time of her death.

“This is a great turnout. There are a lot of familiar faces and some new ones too,” said mother Darlene Meloche. “We are just thrilled that people are coming out to help us raise money for the bursaries.”

Meloche said they changed the format of the walk-a-thon this year. Instead of having a morning event they switched it to an evening event.

“A lot of people are working Saturdays and we figured if we held it in the evening hours it would attract more people,” she said.

As attendees waited for the walk-a-thon to begin, many shared memories of Corey as they stared at the photo collage that was on display.

Darlene said she is always “very surprised” to see the event well attended.

Corey Meloche’s son Ben Meloche is all smiles holding a a bundle of pink balloons as his aunt Sydney Meloche pulls him in a wagon.

“We are so pleased. Unless you’ve gone through something like this you are always afraid that people are going to forget your child,” Darlene said. “You can tell by just looking around that that won’t happen with Corey. People are still coming out year after year.”

McRorie mentioned that the walk-a-thon has created quite the buzz in the community, stating that they wanted to give back to General Amherst, as sports and school were a large part in Corey’s life.

“It helps keep Corey’s memory alive in the community. It’s important for the family,” said McRorie.

McRorie remembers Corey as someone who worked well with children.

“She was a lovely young lady who had tremendous patience with children,” said McRorie.

The General Amherst Lady Gens hockey team hosted a post-walk barbecue. According to Lady Gens head coach Dan Pettypiece, Corey was the driving force in assembling the Lady Gens hockey team.

“She was the catalyst for the hockey team being here,” said Pettypiece. “Our main concern when Corey passed was to keep her memory alive for all she had done for the school.”

Pettypiece said as long as he is involved with Lady Gens hockey he will keep Corey’s memory alive. The team has placed Corey’s number 11 on their jerseys and the younger players who are coming onto the team know the significance of that number.

“That number will always be synonymous with her and her memory,” he said.

Pettypiece said he remembers Corey had a calming and positive personality in the locker room.

“No matter how tough it was in the first year she came into the dressing room and it was always upbeat, always supporting everyone,” said Pettypiece. “We always knew whenever Corey walked into the room she was going to brighten it up, no matter if we won or not.”